[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        STATEMENT ON H. RES. 759

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 2006

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
759, a resolution that expresses the sense of Congress that the 
Government of Japan should formally issue an apology for the sexual 
enslavement of young women during the imperial occupation of Asia and 
World War II. I am disappointed that this non-controversial resolution 
was not on the suspension calendar this week.
  The dehumanization suffered by over 200,000 ``comfort women'' in Asia 
before and during World War II is one of the greatest and most averted 
tragedies of the 20th century. These women were ordinary and innocent 
civilians, ranging from young girls who had barely reached adolescence, 
to married women with children at home. These women shared in common, 
coercion into sex slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army.
  Equally disturbing is Japan's modern and democratic government's 
refusal to issue a formal apology for this atrocity. I believe these 
women deserve a clear and unambiguous apology and reparations from 
the Japanese government to recognize the fact that their personal 
dignity was ripped from them.

  In 1999, when I served in the California State Assembly, I authored 
Assembly Joint Resolution 27, which called on Congress to urge the 
Japanese government to issue an apology for the victims of the Rape of 
Nanking, comfort women, and POWs who were used as slave laborers. The 
resolution was ultimately passed, and urged Congress to pass similar 
legislation.
  Now, 7 years after the success of AJR27, I stand united with my 
colleagues in support of H. Res. 759. I commend my good friend Lane 
Evans for his tireless work on this issue, and I thank him for his 
courage and leadership. I look forward to carrying on his work and 
legacy after his retirement this year.
  Given the wide bipartisan support for this resolution, as evidenced 
by its 55 co-sponsors; the endorsement of four major caucuses, the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Caucus 
for Women's Issues, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and the 
Congressional Caucus on Korea; and its non-controversial language and 
recent passage by Unanimous Consent out of the House International 
Relations Committee, I simply cannot accept that H. Res. 759 is too 
controversial or lacks the importance to be on the suspension calendar.

  It is only right that we provide justice for the victims of the 
Pacific theater with the same fervor as we did for those in the 
European theater of WWII. Congress has a moral duty to shed light on 
this issue and pass H. Res. 759 in order to send a powerful message to 
the government of Japan, and I am disappointed that this resolution is 
being ignored.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress must not politicize a resolution that will give 
some peace of mind to the comfort women and those who have worked so 
hard on their behalf. I sincerely hope that H. Res. 759 will be brought 
to the House floor under suspension of the rules. In the name of 
historical reconciliation and human rights, moving this resolution 
forward is the right thing to do. We must hasten the day when the 
comfort women achieve the justice they deserve at last.

                          ____________________